Also would love to know if you have a microwave under the counter and little kids in the house! Our daughter is 3.5...

We had a larger microwave under the counter. Had planned for a drawer but had troubles with the appliance. It worked great. Can't advise re: your daughter - we had young kids in the house and they were taught not to touch the appliances...so no troubles there.

@weedyacres - I loved the location. We didn't use our microwave often, didn't have a lot of counterspace, plus, I'm short, so it was actually safer for me to remove food versus an over the range microwave.

Not only that, @weedyacres, microwaves need cleaning from splatters. I see cleaning an under counter WM as an inconvenient nightmare.

We did this: click to enlarge

I had a MW drawer in the house I just sold and loved it! Never got hit in the face with steam; in fact I think it would be much safer in that respect compared to a MW above the range - pulling out a bowl of hot soup at face level? No thanks.

I also never had to stoop to see/use the keypad, and I'm tall and my kids are taller. The panel folds out - easy to read from above - folds back in for a clean look. I also never had a problem cleaning it - just a swipe with a damp microfiber cloth.

Sounds like it's personal preference! Many here like them.

Yeah, I would hate that. Have generally had OTR microwaves, but low enough to feel safe taking things in and out. My second choice would be to have an under-cabinet microwave (that is, above the counter but under the wall cabinets) or a dedicated shelf built-in at chest or shoulder height. If you're taking out the wall oven, could you just leave the microwave in a position similar to where it is in that spot? It can be built in or just on a shelf that's appropriately scaled...

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Can even go behind pantry doors if you don't use it constantly...

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I love the location of the microwave in the island below the countertop but do not like the drawer microwave (we have bosch but they are all the same). I'd choose a pull down microwave with a spinning plate inside if I could do it over (kitchenaid). Location is great though. I have none of the issues @weedyacres mentioned if that is at all important to you.

I have my microwave set up below the countertop as in the pic in the original post (with the red ? in the pic) -- and it works perfectly for us there. I don't have to look at the thing in the sense that it's not at eye level so it's there but not really noticeable. You're really not stooping if it's just below the counter -- c'mon lifting a piping hot heavy roast or bird from the oven is more dangerous and hard on the back than a small item out of the microwave. So I'm a fan of this sort of placement - a solid vote for do it.

I design for undercounter microwave drawers a lot. My clients like them. And I usually put them in an island out of the main flow of cooking traffic. That way kids can heat up snacks or breakfast without getting in the way of the chef making dinner. Finishing up a "man cave" project, too, that has a microwave drawer in a peninsula bar.

I've also created open cubbies to put in a freestanding microwave at wall oven height. Bottom line is, it really depends on how much wall space you have and your kitchen layout. I think the convenience of having them under the counter--especially if you have kids--is great if you have the room.

We bought a house with no good place for a microwave (only countertop). I hated it sitting out and installed a microwave drawer in our island. Although a drawer is not quite as convenient as a built in microwave higher up, it is still fantastic. I love having it off the counter and would pick it 1000x over the photo you showed which means you have to bend down at a weird angle.

When considering microwave size and the comparative sizes (cubic inches) of upper cabinets and drawer base cabinets, would NOT give up potential drawer space for a microwave. Thus, under upper cabinet is my preference.

Looking at the picture (with red ?) you posted, I see 2 lost drawers.

We had the placement like your original pic, too. I loved it. We aren't heavy duty users of a micro and it worked fine for heating up leftovers or soup or whatever. I'm height-challenged :) so the ones in the top cabinets wouldn't work as well for me. I also didn't want one installed like a drawer because of replacement if (when) it failed, which of course it did within 2 years of purchasing it. We just replaced with another not-so-expensive one and took it with us when we moved.

I remodeled and went with a microwave drawer and I love it. It's expensive but well worth it because none of the other alternatives were acceptable - I wanted a real hood so didn't want it over the cooktop and I have limited counter space so I didn't want to give it up for a microwave on the counter. I also don't think that having the microwave above my head would be ideal for access.

I also use my microwave almost every day so I wanted it to be in a convenient place. Mine is a Sharp with a tilt out control panel so it is extremely easy to use without stooping. When I researched, all of the drawer microwaves are made by Sharp so there isn't really a reason to get one with a different brand that may cost more than the comparably featured Sharp

Thanks everyone! Definitely some things to think about! 🤔

FYI, ALL microwave drawers are made by Sharp, regardless of the badge on the front. Sharp private labels their product for all the major brands. So yeah, you can get the actual Sharp brand, or get whatever skin works best with the rest of your appliances.

We have a microwave drawer in our island and LOVE it! No problems with the granddaughter being around it. My daughter put a standard door-type one in the island and I find it very awkward to bend over and see the buttons (and I’m not even tall). We’re currently planning a gut renovation on my parent’s kitchen and planning a drawer microwave so they don’t have to reach up over the stove

IMO MW sizes change way too often have a built in one .I still like mine on the counter where it is placed where I use it the most and if you like it off the counter then an open shelf in a apntry type cabinet where the size can change and still work. I think under the counter would be my last choice since it would not be functional at all . BTW kids get into many things they are not supposed to be into .

Microwave drawers do not change dimensions more frequently than wall ovens or even refrigerators.

They are intended to fit into a 30* wide space which is also now the size for a wall oven cabinet. It is doubtful that they are going to make them wider than that. They come in either 24" or 30" size.

I love my drawer and the configuration. It is below my side opening Bosch wall oven and fabulously ergonomic. FWIW I recommend either a side opening or French door oven for those installing wall ovens as it enables one to access stuff from the FRONT instead of the side.

chicagoans I know this is an older post, but do you still like your MW drawer? Has it held up? I keep reading about the Sharp MW drawers breaking and malfunctioning and people being very upset.

Ours is still going strong with no issues.

Mine has been in use for 6 years with no issues and used relatively frequently.

I think I got my money's worth as my kitchen would be so much less functional if I had to have a microwave either on my very limited counter space or over the range instead of having a good venting system.

FWIW over the range microwave combos aren't really that less expensive

Also like my Sharp MW drawer and would make the same choice again. Get the Sharp model with the tilting keypad.

Don't bother with the re-branded models. I did a Wolf MW drawer in my previous house and it didn't have the tilting keypad, which made it hard to see the controls. It was also more expensive.

Don't bother with the Sharp MW & convection Combo. A 120v appliance just doesn't have the power to be a good oven. Just get the standard Sharp MW drawer with the tilting keypad, which is all you need.

Hi Yolanda. I don’t live in that house anymore but know the people who do, and the MW drawer is still working. It is the second one I had there, in full disclosure the first one did fail after about 9 years. I replaced it with another Sharp, and the new model with a tilting panel required a very small adjustment to the cabinet (a small notch easily made by the installers with a small saw.) I have a post about it from way back. If I can find it I’ll link to it.

Anyway, my current house has a built in wall MW/ speed oven combo, but I’d do a drawer again if it fit the layout.

The 5 Sharp convection microwave units I had over 3 years were horrible. Customer service was abysmal. I will never buy a Sharp priduct again. We have a Wolf speed oven now and it works fine.

jimgomez700: "The 5 Sharp convection microwave units I had over 3 years were horrible."

While Sharp does make one convection-microwave drawer, the other seven models are microwave-only drawers so experience with Sharp's convention-microwave ovens, eight of which are countertop models, is irrelevant.

Their abysmal customer service is not irrelevant.